What must each candidate do to be successful this Friday, September 26th, during the first presidential debate on ‘foreign policy?’
Given recent economic developments, I am not certain any debates are necessary. Obama is a lead-pipe cinch to win in November now that the entire world can blame the sitting administration for excesses going back to the 1980’s. But that does not matter. Whoever is in power gets the credit or blame regardless of whether it is 100% merited.
But I digress. Back to the debate.
Allow me to offer my thoughts on this debate, as if it really matters.
A ‘tie’ for Obama – or anything reasonably close to it – would represent a clear win. For months, we have heard that Obama lacks experience, foreign policy credentials, and the steel resolve to confront nasty world leaders to preserve and protect American interests. [Note to readers, especially those left-leaning folks who believe Bill O’Reilly is insanity incarnate: Mr. Bill, after interviewing Barack Obama for a mere 30-40 minutes, concluded that there’s “steel in the man,” or something like that, if memory serves correctly.]
McCain’s task is much more difficult to accomplish. He is expected to wipe the floor with Obama on foreign policy, but with economic woes looming large, and his inability to craft cogent responses to the crisis on the campaign trail, McCain not only must hit a home run in this debate, he must hit a Grand Slam batting from the other side of the plate.
Another item to observe with McCain is his demeanor. My sense is that he appears to be becoming more shrill on the campaign trail, giving greater credence to charges that his personality and temperament (he has been dubbed John McNasty by some) are not suited to dealing calmly and deliberatively with esoteric issues. And if anything facing us today is esoteric, it is certainly the economy, which McCain commendably acknowledged was not his strongest suit. People, however, do not like their leaders to admit ignorance or less than total competence in any field. Our leaders must always and forever be right, just, strong, and omniscience. People demur, saying that is not the case and that they are more reasonable than that, but they – we -- are not.
Not much more needs to be said about Friday’s debate. It is OBE -- Overcome By Events. The burden of proof, so to speak, is now on McCain, not for foreign policy, for which the populace gives him high marks, but for the financial crisis, which has understandably distracted us from what may or may not be occurring far away from our shores. We are much less interested in terrorists than we are in financial turmoil.
I would say look for a dispirited and desperate McCain and an emboldened Obama, who believes he will hold his own with Mr. McNasty.
If, however, McCain can deflect any economic references or discussions, which I am morally certain Obama will definitely try to – and will -- find a way to inject into the proceedings, and if McCain can recapture the stature of a seasoned, reasoned statesmen who has seen the world at its best and worst, viewers may regard McCain as winning the day.
Even if that happens, methinks it shall be a Pyrrhic Victory at best.
Without some catastrophic October surprise that cripples Obama, my advice is that you cozy up to your friends in the Democrat Party. Perhaps they can get you tickets to an Inauguration Ball.
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Fred W. Apelquist, III, M.Ed.
Approximately 580 words.
© September 24, 2008
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